Chain-curbing machine



W. V. RAFFERTY. CHAIN CURBING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30. 1920."

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET mi. .W m M M y lliimmy W. V. RAFFERTY.

CHAIN GURBING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3.0. 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

4/ Q/Z/EM adapted to return a curb chain or resetthe l atented 5,

name NT cries.

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WILLIAM v. anrrna'rr, orrnovrnnnon, nnonnrsnannessrsnon ,ro ,snnnnan CHAI1\I COMPANY,OF rnovrnnnon, ,nnonn ISLAND, aconrona'rron or MASSA onnsn'rrsr cnAIN-onnmns AC IN Application filed-January 30, 1920; SrialNo. 355,163.

To aZZrvhom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM resident of the. city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Chain-Curbing Machines, of which the following is a specification;

This invention twisting-or resetting machines of the class curb or twist in a chain to its normal twist. or position after the individual: links have been-reformed or unified. I I

In practice after the 1 chain has been curbed it is usually leftsomewhat uneven due. to irregularities in the temper of the stock and in the action offthe machine formingethe links. The effects of these irregu larities in the individual links are subse quently removed by passing the A chain through hammers or rolls to render the links fronrthe chain, so that it will not hangas it should but when supported by its end will present a warpe d'or twisted appearance instead of hanging straight;

The object oi this invention isto restore this: initial curb or twist in the chain, which 155 done by drawing the cha n through twov guide or draw platespe'ach 'havingan eye or slot. that fits the chain, placedat anangle'; to each other, so that when the chain is:

drawn-through both, it is twisted, and set or turned back sufficiently so that when free it will hang perfectly straight and not pre- Sent thattwisted or warped appearance.

ll'ith these and other objects in View, the invention consists oil rertain novel features of construction, as will; be: more fully described, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

in the accompanying drawings:

Fi urel is a side elevation artlv in section, showing my improvedchain-twisting or curb-resetting machine.

Figure 21s a detail-1n perspective illustrating the worm gearingmeans for setting the chain slot in one of the guide platesat anangle relative to that of the other.

Figure 37is, asectional sides-elevation I I I V; Rar rnn'rr, a citizen of the Unite'dlstates, and

relates to curb-chain and from each otherand circularly, maybe determined.

Figure G e-is a detail of oneof'theguide or die plates; Figure 7-shows apiece of curb chain enlarged. I I Vi ith reference to the drawings, 10 designates one form ot f'rame of 'myimproved machine, which may be supported on legsl-l and on this frame I havemounted aipair of feedirolls l2 and- 13; roll 12 being fixedly mounted on shaft' lt on the outer end of whichshaft I mount a power-transmitting pulley which may, be driven through the belt 16 or by-handdfdesired, I

The tension roll 13 is mounted "on a shaft 17 in sliding bearingblocks 18in the slot 19 springsQO being'providedto press these bearings inwardly so that the. roll 13 will grip the chain ll against the main feed-roll 12; to draw the chain forwardlythrough the gripping headx22 from the reel 23. A han-- dle is providedrby which this roll 13 bewithdrawn from engagementwith roll12 to permit the chain tobe passed therebe tween. I y I The chaintwistinghead is preferably mounted on the standardQLsupported from :the base 10 in which head I have mounted a curbingguide platev25"which is provided with an elongated or somewhat rectangular,

central hole, eyesor opening 26adapted to fit the chain 27. This plate is heldin position a member 30*by means" of the set screw 31.

Thiscup-shaped' bearing member is adapted to be adjusted both-in and outsoias to regulate the space between these guide. plates 25 and 29, which regulatingis of importance in determining the twist which shalllbe imparted or setr-in the chailras it"is drawn, through these plates. a

In order to obtain this-in and-% out-adj 11stposition I twisting of the chain is also determined I rotate this bearing member 30 with its guide plate 29 so as to bring the major axis of its center opening 35 at the proper angle .relative to the major axis of the opening 26 in the fixed plate 25.

To accomplish this in a simple and practical way I have formed a ring 36 whose lower edge is provided with teeth as at 37 which teeth are engaged by a worm 38 and I have mounted on this ring a finger 34 which extends forwardly through a slot 39 in the flange 40 of this bearing member 30 whereby a rotating movement of this worm 38 by its knurled head 41 causes a rotation of this bearing member 30 with its plate 29 setting its opening 35 at the proper angle to that of opening 26 in the opposite plate.

The guide openings 26 and 35 are shown as being substantially elongated, that is having a greater diameter in one direction, but these openings maybe of any size or shape as will permit the linkings of the chain to pass therethrough but which will prevent the links from turning axially in the openings.

When it is desired to rotate this bearing member 30 with its plate 29 quickly it is only necessary to press the operating handle 41 of the worm 38 downwardly whereby the bearing block 42 in which the screw is mounted will swing on its pivot 45 downwardly against the tension of the spring t6 thereby releasing this bearing member 30 to be rotated independently of the worm and as soon as this handle is released the worm returns into engagement with the toothed portion 37 of the member 40.

After the plate 29 has been set in exactly the proper position to obtain the desired re suit on the chain the set screw 32 is turned up by its handle 4L7 to securely bind and hold it in its set'position.

It is to be understood that in the curbing operation of the chain by the present ma chine the relative'spacing of the plates 25 and 29 may be adjusted to obtain the best results as can be determinedby those skilled in the art. However, the spacing of these plates is less than the length of the links of the chain being operated upon, although in some instances this may not be necessary.

By the use of my improvedmachine instead of being obliged to operate upon the chain by hand to re-set or re-curb a chain after it has passed through the hammers or rolls, it is only necessary to draw the same through my guide or resetting plates and the chain will come out in a perfectly curbed condition.

The device is extremely simple and practical in construction and effective in its operation and by its use the curbing or resetting of the twist in the chain may be readily and accurately accomplished.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1; In a machine of the character described, a pair of relatively fixed plates having guide openings therein permitting the passage of chain links therethrough and preventing the'links from turning axially therein, means for holding said guide plates in close spaced. apart relation, one having the major axis of its guide opening set ina relatively different position to that of the other, the distance between said plates being substantially the length of one link of the chain being operated upon whereby the chain links are subjected to a curbing operation when passing through said guide openings.

2. In a machine of the character described, a pair of relatively fixed plates having guide openings therein permitting the passage of chain links therethrough and preventing the links from turning axially therein, means for holding said guide plates inclose spaced apart relation, one having the major axis of its guide opening set in a relatively different position to that of the other, the distance between said plates being substantially the length of one link of the chain being operated upon whereby the chain links are subjected to a curbing operation when passing through said guide openings, and means for drawing the chain through said plates to set a twist therein.

3. In a machine of the character described, a pair of guide plates each having an elongated opening therethrough, said two openings being substantially in register, and means whereby said plates may be adjusted to position said guide openings therein with their major axes at different angles relative to each other and to regulate their relative angularity, whereby the chain links are subjected to a curbing operation when passing through said guide openings.

4. In a machine of the character described, a holder for a pair of chain guide plates, each of said plates having aguide opening to fit the contour of the links, one of said openings being set at an angle to opening therein, said two openings being substantially in register, a worm gear ng means, whereby said plates may be adjusted for setting the slotted openings therein to extend at different directions and to change the relative operating angnlarity of said openings for regulating the amount of twist to be fed to the links in the chain as it is drawn therethrough.

6. In a machine of the character described, two cooperating chain guide plates, means for holding said guide plates, each having a chain guiding opening therein substantially in register with the opening in the other plate, worm-gearing means whereby said plates may be adjusted for setting the slotted openings thereof to extend,v in different directions and to change the relative operating angularity of said slotted openings to regulate the amount of twist to -be set in the links in the chain as it is drawn therethrough, and means for securing said plates in adjusted position.

7. In a machine of the character described, a chain curbing mechanism including a pair of opposed members having guide openings therein through whichthe links of v mounted on saidfirst unit, a lateral pro ecchains may pass and which will prevent axial turning of the links therein, means for adjusting the relative distances between said members, and means for positioning the guide openings in said members in different relative positions, whereby the links of chains passing through the openings will be curbed.

8. In a machine of the character described a curbing device including relatively fixed plates having slotted openings therein positioned relative to each other to produce a curbing operation on each chain link as the chain is drawn therethrough.

9. In a chain curbing machine, a twisting head having a stationary die unit thereon provided with a chain guiding opening, a second die unit having a chain guiding opening therein and mounted in the head for a rotating and slidable movement, a rotatable member mounted on said head having gear teeth and a projection extending through a slot in said second die unit, a

worm engageable with the teeth of said rotatable member, whereby said second die unit may be rotated relative to said first die unit, and adjusting means for varying the slidable movement of said second die unit relative to said first die unit whereby the distance between said units may be varied.

10. In a chain curbing machine, a twisting head having a stationary die unit there on provided with a chain guiding opening, a second die unit having a chain guiding opening therein and mounted in the head for a rotating and slidable movement, a r0 tatable member mounted on said head having gear teeth and a projection extending through a slot in said second die unit, a worm engageable with the teeth of said rotatable member, whereby said second die unit may be rotated relative to said first die unit, an adjustable means for varying the slidable movement of said second die unit relative to said first die unit whereby the distance between said units may be varied, said worm being shiftable from engagement with the teeth of said rotatable member and means for yieldingly maintaining said worm in engagement with said teeth. 1

I 11. In a chain curbing machine, a twisting head having a stationary unit thereon having a guiding plate mounted therein with a chain guiding opening therethrough, a second unit having a chain guiding plate mounted therein provided with a guiding opening to substantially register with the opening in the plateof said first unit, saidsecond unit being mounted in said first unit and having a rotatable movement and a sliding movement toward and away from the plate of saidfirst unit, an annulus sur rounding said second unit and rotatably tion extending from said annulus and extend ng through an opening in said second unit, whereby said second unit will be roframe, a reel on the frame for supporting chain to be curbed, a pair of feed rolls, one of which is stationarily ournallcd on the fiyniumthe other being mounted to more toward and from said first roll, means "for yieldingly maintaining said shiitable roll in engagement with said first roll, means for manually moving said shiftable roll out of engagement with said first roll, and means for driving said stationary roll whereby said chain is fed through the machine, and

a curbing head interposed between said reel and rolls.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature. 

